Firefly Night
by Ashi Ruby
Summary: Sakura shows a secret paradise to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai, who only stand in awe at the sight before them. A Team 7 fic.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's Note: Just something cute that I came up with when I watching TV, and actually had a little inspiration from the PV for Chaba's Parade. Enjoy!

Firefly Night

It was a warm spring afternoon when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai found the notes outside their doors, all from their female teammate.

Meet me at the training grounds tonight at 8:00. Don't be late!

I have something special to show you.

-Sakura

Now to say that the guys were mildly curious was a bit of an understatement, as when they saw the notes they met up near Ichiraku's, each showing the others the small slip of paper.

"What do you guys think Sakura-chan wants?"

"I really don't know. It's very rare that she tries to have our group together with exception of training."

"Hn. But I guess we have no choice but to go."

The other two males nodded, glancing at the time. 3:47.

* * *

Sakura smiled as she quickly looked at the clock, then back to the scroll she was reading. Inwardly she was waiting for 8:00 to come, when the time was just right for one of the most beautiful things ever.

She often kept it a secret, but today she decided she would share it with three of the people that meant the most to her. And those three were her precious teammates Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai.

_'I'm sure those three are really confused over the notes I left. Well, they will just have to wait,'_ she thought, giggling inwardly. She looked at the clock again. 5:12.

* * *

It was 7:26 when the boys met up again at Ichiraku's. "I'm really curious about what Sakura-chan is wanting to show us. I saw her leave the hospital today with the biggest of smiles on her face," Naruto remarked as they started their walk towards the training grounds, hoping to take enough time to make it by the deadline she gave them.

"I must admit, it was a distraction trying to figure out what rational reason as to why Sakura would want us to go to the training grounds at this late in the evening."

"With Sakura and some of the things in her mind, she never has much of a rational reason."

"Teme, that was uncalled for!"

"So is your yelling dobe."

As the two started a glaring contest, Sai walked ahead, "If you two are done, then maybe we can actually try to get the training grounds."

* * *

It was 7:56 when the boys arrived at the training grounds, with no sight of Sakura around. "I guess we're early," Naruto muttered, looking around for any sign of their pink-haired teammate. "Or maybe this was a trick she pulled on us just to annoy us," Sai commented.

"Sakura isn't that childish. We're just early."

"You're right Sasuke-kun, you are early. But that's okay...you still have three minutes to wait."

They turned to see their teammate come into view, clad in a dark red short-sleeved and knee-length dress. "Sakura-chan...? Why are you dressed like that?" Naruto asked, confused by the change of attire. She never dressed up in something fancy unless it was for a special occasion.

"You have to wait to find out."

"Why can't we find out now? We're here now, aren't we?"

"Two minutes, Sasuke-kun, when it hits 8:00 on the dot."

They stood in silence, Sakura only making small and slow steps past them, towards the other side of the grounds. Finally she spoke, "Follow me, guys." And like curious pups they followed her, down paths they never took before and ways that they never discovered in all their years of traveling through the forests around Konoha.

"Can you tell us now?" Sai asked, staring ahead for any sight of what the rosette could possibly be showing them. Sakura only smiled over her shoulder, "You'll see soon enough."

Silence became a blanket over them until Sakura suddenly stopped. The boys eyed her curiously as she turned around.

"This has been my private sanctuary since I was a little girl. I always came here whenever I was sad or needed time to think, even if it meant sneaking out of my house when my parents fell asleep. And now...I wanted to share this place with you three, because I believe that each of you will see something in this place as I did."

She turned towards Sai, "For you, maybe you'll see something to become your first piece with a name." She then turned towards Naruto, "Maybe you'll see something as bright as you are and find just as much happiness in it as you have for your beloved ramen." Lastly, she turned to Sasuke, "Maybe you'll see that calming peace that you had when you were a child."

She stood to the side, "Go on ahead, and see for yourself what I call paradise." With quick glances towards each other, the boys took gentle steps forward until they saw light through the trees.

What they saw left them all breathless.

A small pond was lined with cosmos flowers, while fireflies danced around the water, making the small glenn in the middle of the forest glow with bright yellow-blue light. As Sakura said, it was paradise.

Sakura smiled, "This is what I wanted to show you. Isn't it beautiful?" There was no response, and Sakura's smiled softened.

_'I'll take that as a yes.'_

* * *

The next day when Sakura arrived for training, the boys were already waiting. "Good morning guys," she said cheerfully. Naruto waved, almost in a dreamlike trance, but nothing like the look he got whenever Iruka, Kakashi, or Jiraiya offered to buy him ramen.

Sasuke smiled very slightly, but a smile nevertheless, "Good morning, Sakura. You're a little late, but at least not as much as Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura smiled, glad to see that Sasuke was speaking to her in more than short sentences. She then leaned over Sai, noticing him sitting indian-style with his drawing pad on his legs.

"What are you drawing?"

"Something...beautiful."

"Oh? And do you have a name for it yet?"

Sai smiled at her, a real smile, before turning back to his drawing of a pond and bright yellow lights, "Firefly Night."

* * *

Yep, something cute and friendship-like. Hope you liked it!


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